Making the Shift to Change Your Thinking

Within our daily routines of life, we are constantly surrounded and bombarded with events, conversations, and news that cause us to worry, fear, become discouraged, and find fault with other people. Much of our popular entertainment portrays and idolizes the dark side of life as well. Noticing how these influences affect us, and a change of focus is necessary to move away from powerful negative influences to change our thinking into creative and empowering thoughts.

There is a well-known phrase that says, “misery loves company,” and though many refer to this concept jokingly, as if it were a harmless pun, the impact of allowing this concept to control our thinking is very damaging. It is like being sucked down into a pit where anger, hatred, disappointment, hurt, resentment, and sorrow reside. It is not a dead space, rather a sizzling pool of never ending turmoil. Such patterns of thinking are not realistic to create the happiness we desire. And yet, in various degrees, this is the state of mind that those who suggest, allow or advocate any form of harm against another encourage us to dwell in.

It is important to become aware of the subtle, as well as the blatant forms of this kind of negativity in our lives. This type of thinking that is continually being implanted in our minds is often disguised and protected by our own self-righteousness, belief systems we have adopted, our relationships, and habitual behaviors that have established our comfort zone. We find ourselves aligned with certain media messengers or groups because of our own experiences and our personal situation. This is natural and when conducted positively can provide an enormous amount of support and good will to help resolve issues. However, when negative influences and group mentality cause us to be stirred with thoughts that result in misery for ourselves or anyone else, it is, unquestionably, a red flag that something is wrong.

Do they stir up feelings of good will, harmony, balance and prosperity, or do they stir up feelings of fear, anger, resentment, and cause visualizations of targets of others to place the blame upon? It is now well documented in various scientific studies that stress is the underlying cause of many illnesses. There is also no doubt that fear, anger, and resentment are instigators that cause us to be stressed, unhappy, and anxious.

And yet, we become so accustomed to the influences that permeate our daily lives that we often fail to notice the very real impacts that these negative influences bring to our lives.

In order to shift into productive, positive, creative thoughts that will resolve our problems and bring us joy, peace, kindness, and love, we must notice the influences and then take action to replace those negative and destructive thoughts with positive and empowering thoughts. This shift in thinking is not accomplished overnight or suddenly, but rather, results from a courageous and committed self-declaration to become more self-aware, and to become a part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem.